'So What?'

• A creative enquiry into the experience of teaching, learning and education.
• It's relevance, methods and results by young people in St. Paul's Firstborn Creatives and Imayla propose to work with year 6, 7, 9 and 11 students from local primary and secondary schools, to explore their experiences of education up to that point, and to capture their attitudes, feelings, opinions and aspirations about this subject in an open and honest way.

Media Training, Support and Practice

To achieve this, a selection of young people from those year groups will be trained how to use video and audio recording equipment, to allow them to:

• interview their peers, in school and also in their own time, in their own spaces.
• to spontaneously record their own thoughts in a video diary.
• interview their teachers, other relevant school staff and key decision makers from the education community.
• interview their parents/guardians and siblings.
• to film anything else they feel would be relevant to exploring young people's experiences and feelings of the education system, (e.g. day in the life of a school student, day in the life of a head teacher, etc).

It is up to the group to decide how they want to use the video and audio equipment, so they take ownership of the process and content. Video and audio material such as this will be captured by all the schools who take part in this project, but it should also be noted that much filming will also take place outside of a school setting, to allow the young people to feel relaxed and not judged about what they can or can't say.

Core Group, Peer Group

A core group of between 15-20 young people:

• representative of years 6, 7, 9 and 11, (included excluded students).
• will be trained to use a variety of media equipment for two principal purposes. To enable them to record their own direct experiences and reflections of education, and to build their confidence in recording the experiences and reflections of their peers, school staff, parents and decision makers with a professional approach.

In addition to this core group, who will provide the principal narrative anecdotes throughout this consultation, a 'mobile media' facility will be on offer to visit local schools at certain moments during the project to run workshops. The aim of the 'mobile media' workshops will be to use the creative process as a means of engaging young people to reflect and consider their relationship with education and learning (e.g. writing rap lyrics about their 5 favourite and 5 worst things about school).

These workshops would have to be in a safe environment preferably without the teacher present to allow the students to express themselves openly without the feeling that they will be punished for their honesty. Material from these sessions whether credited or anonymous will be collated and included in the final consultation package.

DVD

The material recorded by the core group of young people, and also work generated from the 'mobile media' workshops will be collected and edited together to produce a DVD, which is chaptered against the common themes which are explored in the footage, (all of which were chosen by the young people themselves). This structure will allow the material to be used in an accessible way for consultation.

Multi-Arts-Media

In addition to the video material, young people in the area will also be asked to contribute their opinions on education and related issues in other forms, such as poetry, music, photography, art, etc. These additional elements will also be included on the DVD, to create a dynamic range of opinions and expressions as a result of creative consultation.

Community Media Studios

Working with school communities in this way directly complements the work underway known as the Community Media Studios (working title). This initiative has grown out of the Channel Zer0 journalism programmes led by Firstborn Creatives since 2003. The issue-based work produced within Channel Zer0 has had live screenings and debate with decision-makers in the community, while some of the audio work has had broadcast exposure on local radio. The Media Studios scheme builds on partnerships with Imayla, Fast Forward, Young Bristol, Bristol City Council: St Paul's Learning Centre & Young People's Services, South West Screen, and BBC. One of the core aims is to build on the skills, interests and creative talents of the young people involved, to ensure a sustainable programme can give them access to media resources, technical support and training. The issue-based work of Community Media Studios has had an initial focus on the BS2 and BS5 areas of Bristol while making links across the city and other UK media initiatives.

Some Launching Points

Tomlinson report, What do young people want to learn?, What ideal curriculum; What changes to culture of education system if oppressive to black children? What cultural relevance, personal aspirations, work and community goals?

Team: Firstborn Creatives, Imayla, Young Bristol

Milestones - June to November 2005

Month 1

Core group established of 15- 20 young people to receive core training, development and briefings. These young people

• would represent years 6, 7, 9, and 11, and excluded students.
• be trained to build their skills and confidence in research, interview and media production techniques.

Achievement Awards briefing held with core group.

• Main support personnel engaged, and support structure implemented.
• Starting list of groups, individuals, schools and organisations to target for research and interviews published.
• List of key in-school contacts (educators, management team etc. ) who are aware of the project's aims, and who may offer support.
• 'introductory/launch event' delivered - with a facilitated workshop to, to 'frame' the subject, unpick the main issues, agree the direction, motivate enquiry and empower action.
• Press Release on salient issues and research directions distributed.

Month 1

• Minimum of 4 'mobile media' workshops delivered
• ongoing sessions to be run in local schools and community settings, promoting the use of creative production (research, writing, development, audio visual recording and editing) as a reflective tool.

Month 3

• 4 mobile media workshops held - research, writing, creative development and recording, editing
• shortlist of dates for final screening and debate event

Month 4

• 4 mobile media workshops held - research, writing, creative development and recording, editing
• 1 Creative skills development workshop held
• 1 ten minute broadcast quality audio piece edited
• 1 Press release with update of principal assumptions and findings
• DVD post-production plan/schedule published
• Finalise screening event date

Month 5

• 4 mobile media workshops - editing, composition, post-production project support focus
• Plan for Screening and discussion event published

Month 6

• Final DVD produced with plan for distribution to relevant persons (inc. central government and as advised).
• One screening and debate event led by young people, with invited guests including targeted decision-makers and education leaders.
• Written report of findings and recommendations published to print and internet.
• Youth Achievement Awards presented (where applicable)

Outline Training and Support structure

Intro workshop and 'framework' briefingsVideo and Audio production and editing training, project support

Creative Skills Development Lab (Bristol/Devon)

Practice - just doing itAd-hoc and specialist support for support in additional arts/media-forms and for completion of project work

Initial groups and people to work with include:

Mapam bano, Shakti Imani/ Barnardos, BCESG, Saturday schools, St Paul's schools task group, St. Paul's Youth Promotion, Bristol City Council, Teachers - other decision makers, Deck Bhal, Supplementary Schools support co-ordinator, Ken Fyfe - City Academy, Creative Partnerships, Bristol Children's Fund, Excellence In Cities, Emotional Literacy Programme, Positive Futures, Include, YISP,YOT, Gateway Schools, Race Forum, BREC, Bread, Kimani.

Nov 2005 deadline